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The Esper's Game
17 years ago, when subterranean monsters called Burrowers threatened humanity’s very existence, a select few humans gained superpowers and became known as “espers.” The most powerful espers were known as the Seven Heroes, and among them was Yeop Seomun—the man who not only became the world’s greatest esper, but also the world’s savior when he sacrificed his life to defeat the Burrowers’ Final Dungeon. As the world gained peace and espers no longer needed to fight, a VR sport known as Battle Field was born so espers could continue showcasing their powers in virtual dungeons. But no one ever guessed that 17 years after his death, Yeop would magically fall from the sky, alive and well—and just as strong as ever. Now he has a new mission: to restore glory to the struggling Korean team and shake up the sport of Battle Field forever.
Chapter 1: Prologue
Humanity sat on the brink of extinction after an invasion from the Burrower civilization, mysterious beings who neutralized mankind’s military forces with their supernatural powers.
The tables turned as that mystical power transferred to humans, and a select few espers were born again with the power’s influence. With the espers leading the way, humanity fought back.
As the Burrowers’ underground dungeons were destroyed one by one, hope for humanity slowly bloomed.
Then, in the spring of 2004, seven of the world’s top espers attacked the Final Dungeon, the foundation of the Burrower civilization, bringing an end to the war.
The seven were known as the Seven Heroes, the saviors of mankind. They were rewarded with riches and honor for their deeds—except for one man...
The leader of the attack on the Final Dungeon and head of the Seven Heroes, Yeop Seomun, never returned that day. He stayed behind alone, sacrificing himself to buy time for his comrades to escape.
Living heroes become stars, and dead heroes become legends.
Yeop Seomun was admired and respected by all of humanity for fulfilling his duty as a leader until the very end.
17 years passed since that fateful day.
***
Three statues of Korea’s most respected heroes stood in the snow-covered Gwanghwamun Square: Admiral Yi Sun-shin, King Sejong the Great, and Yeop Seomun.
There wasn’t much of a crowd, considering it was the middle of winter, but there was a significant number of foreign tourists taking pictures of Yeop Seomun’s statue.
It was at that moment.
Flash!
A man suddenly appeared and plunged from the sky.
Boom! A deep, massive thud from his heavy alloy armor echoed throughout the square.
“Whoa!”
“Holy crap!”
“What the…?!”
Everyone in the square jumped in shock, terror etched across their faces. Considering a person had just blinked into existence from thin air, it was hardly surprising.
The person from the skies was a young man. His dented armor was cracked and crumbling. It resembled the armor the espers had worn during the fight against the Burrowers in the past, and his face shocked everyone.
It was a face that every person in Korea knew.
“This can’t be real, can it?”
“He’s bleeding!”
“N-no way!”
The dying man looked exactly like the statue of Yeop Seomun.
People kept their smartphone cameras rolling up to the very moment paramedics whisked him away in an ambulance.
“Dungeon Returnee Appears, Presumed to be Yeop Seomun”
“Yeop Seomun of The Seven Heroes, Miraculous Rebirth after 17 Years”
“Yeop Seomun, Savior of Mankind, Returns after a 17-Year Jump”
This mysterious news shook the media all over the world.
The hero who died as a legend had returned.